‘Looking for me?’

There’s only one reason for a noble man to set foot on this barren land. He must have received orders from the imperial family to eliminate the last seed of the royal family hiding like a rat.

‘If I’m discovered, I might die. My head might be cut off, just like my family…’

A chill ran down her spine. Her white neck tingled as if sliced by a blade.

Coming to her senses, she started running aimlessly. Fearing her pursuer might follow, she circled the area without returning home. Only when night fell did she hurriedly go back.

‘It’ll be alright. He couldn’t have recognized me.’

Natasha had dyed her hair and used her divine power to change her eye color. While she might have seemed suspicious, her true identity shouldn’t have been revealed.

Still, as a precaution, she sent a danger signal to Lord Dante.

About three hours later, someone knocked on the door.

Visitors were rare, and it was too late for guests. Certain it was Lord Dante, Natasha opened the door without hesitation.

“Ah…”

She had confirmed no one was following her. Even the village where she bought groceries was quite far from home.

She had been confident the man wouldn’t find her, but…

“Sieg…”

Natasha’s face turned pale as she recognized the man at the door.

Chilling red eyes, hair gleaming brilliantly even under the night sky. A rugged appearance, yet exuding magnificence, with a sturdy build hinting at his status.

“…hart.”

It was Sieghart Asthart.

His red eyes scrutinized her intently. His cool gaze revealed his intentions.

Sieghart knew her identity. The man hadn’t come to interrogate her about the whereabouts of the surviving royal hiding like a rat.

Unless he was here to arrest her, asking if she was that Natasha.

“P-please spare…”

Pitifully, her first words were a plea.

The imperial family was the enemy who had destroyed her family, and Sieghart was a man with long-standing ties to them. Surely he had come to finally find Natasha, who had survived, and cut off even her bloodline.

Just as her parents and siblings had been, Natasha too would be beheaded, her severed face hung on the tallest tree in the village. Even her last remaining wish to continue her lineage would be utterly lost.

Her stupidly frozen body wouldn’t move. Her retreating legs could only take small steps.

Through the closing gap of the door, half of the man’s face was visible. His face, composed of deep lines, like a delicate sculpture, stood out even in her blurring vision.

Sieghart flung open the closing door and approached the woman. As his massive frame drew closer, Natasha’s fear grew in tandem.

When he finally reached out his hand, Natasha tightly shut her eyes. Even trite words like “please spare me” wouldn’t come out.

‘…Huh?’

However, contrary to expectations, no rough handling came.

There was no massive sword slicing her neck, nor did the man’s large hands restrain her.

Sensing something odd, Natasha opened her eyes.

“Princess, you’ll have to marry me.”

For some reason, the man was kneeling on one knee, looking up at her, and strangely, what lay before her was not a sword, but flowers.

Faced with this surreal, even bizarre situation, the woman was dumbfounded. Even after repeatedly closing and opening her eyes, the scene before her didn’t change. Surprisingly, it meant this was reality.

“M-marriage?”

“Yes, marriage.”

“Why should we marry…?”

“Because I want it. And it will benefit you too, Princess.”

The man said, gently creasing his refined eyes. The elegantly curved lines softened his expression considerably.

“The fact that you’ve been hiding and not appearing in public for the past year means you know your life is in danger, don’t you?”

“…”

“Stay with me at the Asthart duchy. I’ll protect you from death and poverty.”

The man was more than confident; he was resolute. Sieghart was reciting as if reading a predetermined script, without a hint of hesitation, as if it were natural.

…Marriage?

As she slowly digested the proposal, Natasha let out a sigh.

Are you asking me to believe such an absurd thing now?

To suddenly barge in after discovering where Natasha was hiding, and then propose!

If the proposer was an ally of her enemy, it was an even less trustworthy offer. He might intend to lure her out and send her to the imperial palace.

“You’re…”

“…”

“You’re lying!”

She shouted at the man standing there, looking triumphant as if the conclusion was already decided.

“I know you came to kill me. I know you’re a person of the imperial family, and that the imperial family’s goal is to exterminate the royal family. You’ll surely take me away and kill me!”

The key was how the man would act now that his intentions had been exposed.

Natasha glared at the door, waiting for his next move. She was prepared to flee with all her might the moment his hand moved towards his sword hilt.

“I have no intention of making a corpse my duchess.”

However, the man unexpectedly wore a good-natured expression. His large hand still clutched the bouquet.

“What do you mean…”

“I meant that I have to keep you alive, Princess.”

He pushed Natasha against the wall to prevent her from escaping and leaned on the door. Subsequently, Sieghart’s shadow fell over the woman’s face.

“If I had intended to kill you, I wouldn’t have bothered acting like this. I would have moved with the imperial knights, or dealt with you right now that we’ve met.”

“…”

“The imperial family doesn’t know of your existence yet. This is solely my judgment. There are no other impure intentions in this proposal.”

The convincing words and the man’s steadfast gaze calmed Natasha. Her rapid breathing gradually slowed. Sieghart quickly noticed this change in Natasha.

“Please, trust me.”

Despite the words seeking mercy, his tone was strangely forceful.

Raising her head, she fully faced him for the first time. His coal-black eyebrows twitched, urging an answer. He seemed to be anticipating what result her response would bring.

‘You’re asking me to trust you?’

Natasha, clutching her worn and tattered skirt, raised her voice.

“This trust will determine my life or death, so I can’t give it carelessly. And I…”

“…”

“I have no intention of marrying you.”

It was precisely ten days ago.

Upon checking the letter on the table, Sieghart immediately frowned. After muttering a low curse, he irritably picked up the envelope containing the letter.

The elegant red and gold exterior of the letter indicated that it belonged to the Letius Imperial Family.

“Huh.”

His face crumpled unpleasantly as he began reading the letter’s contents. As if the rest wasn’t worth reading, he shoved the paper into the trash bin.

“Have the carriage ready. I’m going to the imperial palace.”

After that, he went out and ordered a passing servant to depart for the palace.

An audience was already scheduled under Sieghart’s name. It seemed the terrible devil had foreseen that he would reach the palace today.

He strode forward with force and stopped in front of Kyle Letius.

The emperor, despite the arrival of his guest, continued drinking, ignoring him. Only after a while did he greet him.

“You’re here?”

“Your Imperial Majesty.”

“Why such a frown? Soften it a little.”

“Are you jesting with me right now?”

As if small talk was a luxury, Sieghart casually brushed off the emperor’s greeting. Moving straight to the point, he threw a paper beyond the throne.

Seeing the crumpled piece of paper, Emperor Kyle Letius responded indifferently.

“Ah― Did you read the letter well?”

“Do you call this paper with nothing but nonsense written on it a letter? State your exact intentions. Are you trying to joke with me right now?”

“Nonsense, you always have a talent for saying disappointing things. I made the proposal quite seriously, it’s disheartening when you react so sharply.”

“My relationship with Letius ended after that day.”

“Is that so? It wasn’t.”

Kyle smiled slyly, probing Sieghart’s feelings.

“I said I’d be considerate. Shall I put it more simply? It’s the emperor’s mercy given to a son of a bitch. If you bring what I want, I’ll give you the freedom you desire.”

He sneered in a fishy voice. Kyle wiped the alcohol from his mouth with the back of his hand and finally rose from the throne.

Staggering down the steps, he spoke again.

“Get married. To the blood remnant of the royal family you destroyed with your own hands.”

In that detestable voice that the other so despised.

“…What did you just say?”

Even when Sieghart demanded a detailed explanation, the words previously uttered were not extended. The emperor only repeated short phrases in a firm voice.

Get married, to that bloodline.

The Charliee Royal Family was destroyed a year ago under Sieghart’s leadership. But now, marry them? Was he truly telling him to make a corpse his duchess?

The man realized that the other was mocking him. It was a threat that there was no way to escape from him, so stop resisting and continue licking the imperial family’s boots. While cleaning up after the incompetent emperor’s shit.

Damn bastard, Sieghart cursed inwardly as he pondered his options. Even if it meant holding a soul wedding ceremony, he had to escape from the grasp of the disgusting emperor.

‘Cayena.’

For a moment, he recalled a woman he had forgotten. A girl he had encountered during the invasion of the palace.

The man had secretly released a woman disguised as royalty among the captured royal group. And a few months later, he had hired a girl who applied as a maid to the duchy.

The girl had confessed herself that she was the youngest princess’s maid. She said she had disguised herself as the princess to buy time, to save Natasha Charliee, that woman.

He had left her alone, not wanting to turn the empire and kingdom upside down for one princess without a grudge, but who knew it would turn out to be a windfall.

‘That bloodline might be useful for the first time.’

Sieghart decided to make the youngest princess, who must be alive somewhere, his card.

Translation complete. 100% of original text translated.